Geranium plant named ‘Pacpeki’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacpeki’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; and large semi-double light red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACPEKI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pacpeki’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Zonal Geranium plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration and large flower size.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2005 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. The new Zonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since January, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacpeki’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacpeki’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large semi-double light red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant vigor and flower color.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Paclai’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,751. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of ‘Paclai’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were larger than plants of         ‘Paclai’.     -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more vigorous than         plants of ‘Paclai’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium were larger and         darker in color than leaves of plants of ‘Paclai’; in addition,         leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium did not have a         distinct zonation pattern whereas leaves of plants of ‘Paclai’         had a distinct zonation pattern.     -   4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger flowers than         plants of ‘Paclai’.     -   5. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium and ‘Paclai’ differed         slightly in flower color.     -   6. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had longer peduncles than         plants of ‘Paclai’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacpeki’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Zonal Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were three months old when the photograph was taken, and plants were nine months old when the description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Pacpeki’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days             at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days             at temperatures of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant             habit; densely foliated; vigorous growth habit; freely basal             branching habit with about ten lateral branches developing             per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm to 15 cm. Diameter:             About 8 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate and opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 cm.         -   Shape.—Reniform, rounded.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             rough, leathery.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Darker than 146A; venation, close to 146B. Developing and             fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B;             venation, close to 146B.         -   Zonation pattern.—Not discernible.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single semi-double flowers arranged in             rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils;             umbels displayed above the foliar plane on strong peduncles;             flowers mostly flat and face upright to outward depending on             the position in the umbel.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 15 umbels             develop per plant; each umbel with about ten flower buds and             open flowers.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 80 days after             planting; in the greenhouse, plants flower year-round; in             the garden in Germany, flowering is continuous from April             until frost in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to ten             days on the plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Roughly elliptic. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Eight per flower arranged             in a single whorl; petals imbricate. Length, upper and lower             petals: About 3 cm. Width, upper and lower petals: About             3 cm. Shape: Roughly obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 52C; spot, close to             52A; towards the base, close to 155A; venation, close to             53A; color does not change with development. When opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 52D; towards the             base, close to 155D; venation, close to 53D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five to seven per flower             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly erect or outwardly             slanted. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 166A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens: About             ten per flower. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: Close to 169A. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 169A. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils:             One per flower. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape:             Six-parted. Stigma color: Close to 58A. Style length: About             3 mm. Style color: Close to 155D. Ovary color: Pale green.             Seeds: Seed development has not been observed on plants of             the new Zonal Geranium. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about     1° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C. and have demonstrated good garden     performance. 

1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacpeki’ as illustrated and described. 